I’ve included more info about the event below - I hope you can make it! Of course, even if you can’t make it, donations are greatly appreciated and are fully tax deductible.

Benefit Concert to Reintroduce Importance of Art
As schools across the nation cut their art and music programs, Bay Area non-profit organization, Induz, hopes to raise funds for new projects in the US and India with the KRIA World Fusion Music & Dance Benefit Concert. The concert, featuring a blend of world music and dance performed by local and internationally acclaimed artists, hopes to bring attention to the countless benefits of art and expose children to different cultures. The event will include an art auction.

Guest of Honor: Actor Faran Tahir (Ironman, Lost, Star Trek)

Performances will feature:

• Santoor Maestro (Internationally Acclaimed Grammy Nominee)
• Pt Tarun Bhattacharya (Master Percussionist & Composer)
• Jim Wendt & Eric Everett (Jazz Musicians)
• Shivani Thakkar & Troupe, Holly Shaw, Project Pulse and Katy Barnhill (Dancers)

KRIA will be held September 20 at the Santa Clara Convention Center. Find out more at www.Induz.org, 510-875-5006 or info@Induz.org.

First of all, it took us a few moments to figure out what it was and why the advertising and marketing agency sent it to him. That’s a HUGE problem.

It’s common for a Small Business Owner or Entrepreneurs to make marketing mistakes when creating their own collateral, but it’s extraordinarily rare for a professional agency to put out a piece of direct mail with such an overwhelming number of obvious problems. The good news is that it’s a great example of what NOT to do.

Here, I’ve outlined their errors so you can learn from their mistakes:
MISTAKE: The document said “Press Release” at the top, but was not a Press Release. It was a Fact Sheet.
HOW TO FIX IT: Make sure you include the vital criteria for a specific type of document. For example, a Press Release should be in paragraph format with “Who, What, Where, When and Why” answered in the first two sentences. The Associated Press is a great resource for this sort of help. A Fact Sheet should be a bulleted list of facts about a particular company, product or event. If you search “Press Release” or “Fact Sheet” online you will find basic criteria for each type of document.

MISTAKE: The “Press Release” had two dates on it: August 3, 2007 and August 13, 2007. I don’t know why any collateral should have two dates listed like this, but if you are mailing something like this out, it should not arrive a full 8 months after the release! We received it in April 2008!
HOW TO FIX IT: Make sure the document is timely. If it has a date on it, keep it within a few days of the actual release date.

MISTAKE: There were various inconsistencies between the bullets in the Advertising agency’s collateral, including the model’s name being in all caps sometimes, and not in all caps other times (i.e. EMILY vs. Emily).
HOW TO FIX IT: Make sure everything in your marketing materials is consistent. This includes making sure everything is spelled right, but think about formatting and the overall look of the document, too.

MISTAKE: The order of bullet points was not impressive. The agency that created the pieces listed the model’s age and that she recently graduated from high school (at least recently as of August 2007). This is not very powerful. Many students graduate from high school when they’re about 17 or 18 years old. When we create this sort of document at Three Girls, we put the most interesting or important information first.
HOW TO FIX IT: Put the most important, interesting and impressive information first. Answer the standard “Who? What? Where?” questions in addition to “Why should the person receiving this care?” If it isn’t obvious, the collateral isn’t doing its job.

MISTAKE: One of the bullet points in the collateral piece is that the model is a “true triple threat; singing in a Sony Records sanctioned all girl band.” What is a Sony Records sanctioned band? How is it different from other sorts of bands? What’s the name of the band is she in? If her band is that cool, name it!
HOW TO FIX IT: Don’t leave the person receiving your marketing materials asking any questions. Everything they would ask should be included.

MISTAKE: At the very end of the so-called “Press Release,” the headline is repeated again (“Roll With a Real Role Model”) and it is stated that this model “Is Perfect For The Role.” What role is she perfect for? Even the most talented actors/actresses are not perfect for every role. The other issue is that the headline implies the girl is role model. To whom? What makes her one? There is nothing included in this release to show how she is a role model to anyone.
HOW TO FIX IT: Make sure the title or headline you choose is completely factual, and if it leaves the recipient asking any questions, the answers are easy to find in the content of the release. Catchy is good, but it needs to make sense.

Looking over this piece of collateral, there were only two things the agency that created this collateral did well:
1. They kept the information to one page
2. They included contact information and a website

I just hate to think about how much money was wasted on a totally ineffective and embarrassing piece of collateral that’s doing more harm than good. Three Girls could have created something better, and we don’t even specialize in marketing models! When creating your own collateral, make sure you don’t leave the recipient asking more questions than they had to begin with.

So you’ve started attracting media attention, but they want you to give them something they can take with them and refer to later. What do you do? At Three Girls, we create virtual press kits for our clients, hosted on our Ultimate Press Picks site. These kits are a one-stop-shop for the media, offering everything they need to know in a format they’re familiar with. But what if you can’t afford to hire a firm to create a press kit? Here are three tips I found at the National Federation of Independent Business online:

1. Write clearly…A compelling headline can draw your reader in, while a few short, concise paragraphs can let them know if they’re interested in learning more. If they are, direct them to your Web site where they can read more [This is one case where less is more – the goal is to be short and to the point, but informative as well].

2. Include company information…Every single component of your media kit should include a media contact, a phone number and e-mail address. Since small businesses don’t always have publicists, make sure to include the title of the media contact so members of the media know to whom they’ll be talking [Make sure you include your website as well].

3. Be helpful…Members of the press are busy people, too, so whatever you can do to fit your business in a story for them, the less work they’ll have to do tracking down more sources…Also, think about your business structure for ways to promote your business. If you recently doubled your revenue in the last year or added employees, ask the publication to consider you for an article on business growth or hiring new recruits. You may not get the plug you originally wanted, but you will get exposure [You can even include Story Ideas that offer a variety of suggestions for angles the media can take].

In addition to these three tips, I would recommend including basic information, such as how much your product(s) or service(s) cost. At Three Girls, we always include high-resolution images in the virtual press kit so the media has access to everything they’ll need whenever they’re working on their story – day or night.

1. Write one-to-one. Imagine you’re sitting at a table directly across from your best prospect, looking him in the eye and discussing how you’ll meet his individual needs. To increase your marketing response rates, address your prospects on a personal level, as if you were having a one-on-one conversation.

5. Provoke a reaction. Have you ever noticed that many marketing materials open with a question? Ads of all kinds, and direct-mail and sales letters in particular, use questions as headlines, opening sentences and throughout the body copy. Questions provoke answers, keeping prospects thinking and engaged with your message. Get the idea?

Read the full article at Entrepreneur.com.

• The median cost to women who start up a business is $2,000 (when Erika Taylor founded Three Girls Media, it was with a $3,000 personal loan which was paid back within the first year).
• $143,726 is the average net worth of a female entrepreneur.
• Women’s net business income grows at an annual rate or 7% - nearly twice as fast as men’s.
• The number of women-owned businesses has risen 42% in the past 10 years.

Here are a few more fun facts about Women in Business I found on the National Women’s Business Council website:

• In 2004, women accounted for more than 51 percent of the United States population and 47 percent of the American labor force
• As of 2006, there are an estimated 10.4 million privately-held businesses in which a woman or women owns at least 50 percent of the company. Among them, 7.7 million are majority-owned
• The largest share of privately-held majority women-owned firms is in the service sector, with more than two-thirds (69%) of women-owned firms in services

Be sure to check out the National Women’s Business Council site for more stats on women in business!

1. DO YOUR HOMEWORK - Researching the right media outlets and finding the best contact at those outlets is not rocket science…it simply takes time and diligence. Both will pay of in spades. There’s nothing more a reporter hates than being contacted about something that isn’t even close to what they actually cover.

2. MAKE IT SHORT, SWEET & TO THE POINT! - Reporters and editors are busy folks, and they have no interest in reading a 5000 word email. Keep initial correspondence and follow-up calls and emails BRIEF. Press should be able to read it in 60-seconds or less. Think of your initial contact as a tease…provide enough info about your product, business or service to entice the press. They want more info, they WILL ask for it.

3. KEEP IT CURRENT - If you can tie your product, service or company to something that is timely (a current news story, business trend, special month such as ‘Redesign Your Home Month’, press will likely be more interested.

4. IF AT FIRST YOU DON’T SUCCEED, TRY, TRY AGAIN! -  Especially with magazines, reporters are often focused only on the immediate stories they are preparing for the upcoming issue. Don’t think all is lost because you don’t get a response the first time; it could simply mean the press isn’t working on a story that would be a good match for your pitch. Send it again in a couple months and try again! researching Editorial Calendars, that explain what upcoming features the magazine is working on, is a great way to gauge when your item might be the best fit for the outlet. Editorial Calendars can be purchased through Three Girls Media (contact Emily Larsen: emilylarsen AT threegirlsmedia.com).

Need help finding great media outlets to contact, the right reporters at the right outlets or writing an initial pitch? Three Girls can help! We offer an extremely cost effective a la carte PR menu especially designed for Small Businesses! Prices start at just $125. For more information, email Emily. 

1. Define WHY you are going green…or HOW green you want to go, before getting started. Erika adds: The best plans are those that are well thought out and organized.

2. Be aware of the regulatory issues and certifications that are available if you’re trying to go after a ‘deep green’ consumer. Erika adds: Local agencies such as City Councils, Chambers of Commerce and others often have green registration or awards, and the local office of the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) also can help with formal certification. Online research is a good place to start.

3. Start Small! Make a few changes such as changing from styrofoam or paper cups to ceramic, using recycled paper, refilling ink cartridges, switching to fluorescent lightbulbs and other small changes are visible to staff and often consumers.

4. Don’t go green to be trendy. Serious green consumers are emotionally invested, often more so than other consumers, when they buy products and services. Erika adds: If your company is recycling, that’s great, but hardly enough to say you’re ‘green’. Trying to stretch the truth or fit a few well-meaning efforts to call your business green can easily lead to lost credibility and skepticism from the consumers you are trying to woo.

TRADE SHOW DOs

1. Wear comfortable shoes - Trade Shows are not the place to show off your newest pair of Manolo’s.
2. Prepare for bathroom breaks - Have someone scheduled to cover your booth in your absence…for lunch breaks too!
3. Be an extrovert - Reach out to people walking by…don’t wait for them to come to you.

TRADE SHOW DON’Ts

1. Don’t have bad breath - You’ll be doing a lot of close-up talking.
2. Don’t be a Motor Mouth - Your #1 job is to LISTEN…one of the first - and most important - steps in the sales process.
3. Don’t let the tail wag the dog - After listening, take charge of the conversation. Quickly determine if the person you are speaking with is a qualified customer. If not, wrap up the conversation and move on to the next passerby.

The moral of the story: When planning for a Trade Show, sometimes the most obvious tips are overlooked. Don’t let the little things negatively impact your Trade Show experience!

The Publicity Team at my PR Firm, Three Girls Media & Marketing Inc., spends a lot of time at Three Girls pitching our clients to the press. While the PR industry tends to write a lot of Press/News Releases, Three Girls tends to write a lot of pitch letters instead. I came across an interesting analogy on The Bad Pitch Blog earlier today:

Pitch Letter is to News Release as Cover Letter is to Resume

A press release is not a pitch. Would you send a resume with no cover letter to a prospective employer?

In both instances, the letter provides context. You should pull out the value your release or resume offers that specific media outlet/editor and company/HR contact, respectively.

No one has the time to digest an entire news release or an entire resume to see why/how it applies to them. And the more I see just press releases being sent to me, without even so much as a salutation, the more I realize this is probably the reason so many hold such (deep) hatred for the news release format.

While the analogy isn’t perfect, it makes it easier to figure out how to go about writing a pitch. Like a cover letter, there are a few key points to hit:

- What/who the product/person is

- Why the person receiving this should care

- Where to get more information

The analogy falls apart a bit because, unlike a Cover Letter and Resume, sending a pitch letter without a News Release is perfectly fine. You don’t need to bombard the press with information all at once. Send a quick note to let them know what you’re pitching, why they should care, and where to get more information. If they want a formal release or have specific questions, they’ll let you know.